Discovering the sociological perspective

Context: From the list below choose a topic that interests you and which you would like to know more about. Each topic is intentionally broad and reflects several, more focused, social issues that have been in the news during recent months. For example, issues involving voting rights or housing or poverty or gender rights, for example, can be addressed through one of the general topics.

General topics — a few examples of related social issues are in brackets

1. Climate Change and the Environment [sustainability, biodiversity, consumption, environmental justice, environmental justice]

2. The Social Contract and Civic Engagement [citizenship, immigration, DACA, gerrymandering, immigration, LGBTQ+, meritocracy, policing, pluralism, political action committees, schooling/systems, special interest groups, voting rights, women’s rights]

3. Infrastructure and Urban/Suburban Development [bridges and tunnels, gentrification, malls, migration, public works, urban renewal, urban sprawl]

4. Media and Social Change [social change, cultural values, social media, leisure class, media industries, popular culture]

5. Social and Economic Inequality [affordable housing, cost of living and minimum wage, living wage, meritocracy, race/ethnicity, social class]

 

Essay #1: Write an essay in which you demonstrate your understanding of how sociologists identify and explore social issues. Use the following guidelines to complete your essay.

a) Explain why the general topic interests you and why other people might also find it important.

b) Is there a specific social issue related to your topic that you would like to understand better? Apply your developing sociological imagination to explain why this is an important social issue. (Hint-How would Mills’ concept help you identify or clarify your topic as an important social phenomenon?).

c) If you were able to conduct a research study to learn more about your specific social issue, which research method/design would you use? Why this approach? (Hint-Would you use a quantitative approach, if so, which one, why? Would you use a qualitative approach, if so, which one, why?)

d) Be sure to cite the textbook as you develop your essay.